Applicator devices for applying coatings to photographic prints



g- 21, 1955 A. J. BACHELDER APPLICATOR DEVICES FOR APPLYING COATINGS TO PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS Filed Aug. 8, 1952 FIG.

FIG. 2

INVENTOR FIG. 4

FIG. 5

BY ATTOFQNEYS United States Patent O i APPLICATOR DEVICES FOR APPLYING COAT- INGS TO PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS Albert J. Bachelder, Lexington, Mass., assignor to Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge, Mass., acorporation of Delaware Application August. 8,,1952,.Serial=No. 303,286

2 Claims. or. 15-224 This invention relates to an. applicator for applying or coating a liquid composition onto a surface of an article and is espectially designed for coating finished photographic prints.

It is generally desirable to apply a liquid composition in the form of a film to finished. photographic prints for the purpose of protecting them from hazards, such as dirt or dust, fingerprints, scratches, and the. like, encountered in handling and in storage.

Objects of this invention are to provide an inexpensive, compact, lightweight applicator of approximately the size of a cigarette and which can be packed or carried in a small container for ready availability and which can be charged or impregnated with sufficient liquid composition to coat a plurality of prints.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an. applicator of the character described comprising a holder, preferably in the shape of a channel member and preferably formed of an organic plastic material, and absorb.- ent material in strip form, preferably a cloth material, arranged in an assembly of layers in facing relation to each other and retainably mounted within the holder with a portion of at least two of said layers extending beyond the legs of the holder and providing flexible. means contactable with the surface to be coated for applying to said surface a liquid composition carried by the absorbent material.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the product possessing the features, properties and the relation of components which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the. nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accom panying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an applicator for applying a liquid coating; and

Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively shown end views. of embodiments of applicators which differ from that illustrated in Fig. 1.

An applicator of the character with which this invention is concerned employs a holder for absorbent material in strip form and arranges the absorbent material in an assembly of layers in facing relation to each other. The holder itself comprises a channel member, the legs of which are engaged with the outer layers of the assembly whereby to retain the absorbent material in the holder with a portion of a least two of the layers extending freely beyond the legs of the channel member. The concept of two or more layers assembled in facing relation to each.

other may be carried out in several ways. For example, a single piece of absorbent material may be folded two or more times upon itself so as to provide a plurality of layers which are assembled in facing relation to each other. Alternatively, the absorbent material may be 2,759,212 Patented Aug. 21, 1956 employed in the form of several elongated strips which are folded along their respective longitudinal axes and which are nested one within the other for mounting within the holder so that the longitudinal fold of each strip is adjacent the base of the holder. By a further arrangement, individual unfolded strips of absorbent material may be assembled together in facing relation to each. other.

In all arrangements of the assembled layers, at least two of the layers have portions which extend beyond. the legs of the channel member which provides the holder for the applicator device. These extending portions are free and unsupported" and provide flexible. means for contactwith'the surface to be coated.

In Fig. l of the drawing, an embodiment of an applicator device is indicated by the reference character 10. This applicator comprises a holder 11., in the form. of an elongated channel member, and absorbent material, in strip form, which has been arranged to provide an assembly of layers. The assembly of layers is engaged within the channel memberand each layer has, a portion thereof which extends. freely beyond the legs of the channel member 11.. In the embodiment disclosed in Fig. 1, six layers of absorbent material are shown in assembled relation. These six layers are provided by three individualstrips of absorbent material, indicated in Fig. 1

adjacent the longitudinal axis. of the strip which is adjacent thereto.

The. assembly of folded and nested strips 12, 14 and 16' are inserted within the holder 11 and are. held therein by reason of frictional engagement by the legs of the holder, it being noted that the legs of the channel member are bent inwardly toward each other for this purpose.

The holder is made of material which is sufficiently pliable so. that the legs of the channel member may, if desired, be forced outwardly and the assembled absorbent strips placed therebetween for engagement by the legs upon release of the stress applied to force the legs outwardly. In mounting the assembled strips 12, 14 and 1.6 within the holder 11, they are positioned so that the fold thereof is adjacent the base of the channel member.

Each of the absorbent stripsor applicator elements 12, 14 and 16 will have a portion at their free ends extending beyond the legs of the holder. Since these portions are flexible and are unsupported or unrestrained by it may be noted that the composition, after being coated suflicient amount of liquid composition to coat a plurality of photographic prints. In this regard, the quantity of liquid composition employed is such that when the assembly of applicator elements or strips are loaded therewith, the liquid will be retained in the strips without dripping therefrom or without being wiped off upon accidental contact of .the strips with a surface unintended to be coated.

Generally, it is desirable to keep the loaded applicator away from air which will dry out the charged applicator elements and/ or oxidize the liquid composition absorbed therein. In use, the applicator is withdrawn from its container and the holder thereof is grasped in the fingers with one hand. The other hand is used to hold the print to be coated and the applicator is rubbed lightly over the surface of the print whereby to coat the print. By one practice, application of the liquid composition is carried out by use of a rotary motion until the print is thoroughly covered by the liquid composition, following which two or more light, straight strokes are slowly made across the print to even out the coating.

While the strips 12, 14 and 16 of Fig. 1 provide an assembly of six layers of absorbent material in facing relation to each other, it is to be noted that the invention may be practiced with a layer assembly making use of at least two layers which each have a portion thereof extending freely beyond the legs of the holder or channel member 11. A particular advantage is derived in providing a layer assembly of this nature having two or more flexible absorbent portions. Because of this flexibility at the spreading end of the layer assembly, it is to be observed that if a flexible portion of one absorbent layer is out of contact with the surface being coated, at least one or more other flexible portions of the layer assembly will be in contact with the surface. Action of this nature is similar to that occurring in the use of a paint brush where coating will proceed with each stroke even if some of the bristles of the brush are out of contact with the surface being painted, since other bristles will be in painting contact.

In the embodiment disclosed in Fig. 1, as well as in the other embodiments of the drawing, the holder 11 is preferably an elongated channel member having legs which are bent inwardly toward each other whereby to frictionally engage the assembly of applicator layers and retain them in mounted condition within the holder. As will presently appear, an applicator employing a holder having a length similar to that of a conventional cigarette is generally acceptable for most purposes. In such an applicator, the channel member which provides the holder 11 will have legs about one-half inch wide.

All holders illustrated with the different embodiments of this invention may be made of any suitable sheet material. A preferred material is an organic plastic and a specific example is polystyrene. The holder 11, when made of plastic material, may be formed by extrusion practices or may be formed from sheet stock. When polystyrene sheet is used, it is preferably employed in a stretched and oriented condition whereby it is rendered easily workable. The holder may be shaped from sheet stock of suitable width by drawing the same in a heated condition through an appropriate forming die. The plastic holder, when formed in this manner, will retain its shape since the polystyrene is a thermoplastic material. Polystyrene sheet, having a thickness of .010 inch, is a satisfactory material for the holder.

The strips 12, 14 and 16 of Fig. 1, as well as the applicator layers of the other embodiments of the invention may be any material of a suitably absorbent character. Preferably, cloth materials are employed for this purpose such as wool and cotton materials, including flannel, felt and the like. A nonwoven cotton fabric may be named as a preferred material. One suitable nonwoven cotton fabric of this nature is sold under the trade name WEBRIL by the Kendal Mills, Walpole, Massachusetts.

Such a nonwoven cotton fabric is commercially available in thicknesses ranging from .018 inch to .110 inch.

As previously pointed out, the absorbent material is dimensioned to provide an assembly of layers in which each layer is approximately equal to the length of the holder 11. Generally, all the layers of a layer assembly will be dimensioned so that they will extend beyond the legs of the channel member by approximately the same distance, i. e., by about one-eighth of an inch. However, as will hereinafter appear, one or more of the inner layers of the layer assembly may be slightly shorter than the other layers.

The thickness of the material which forms the absorbent layers of the different embodiments of the invention is not critical. Thus, the thickness of the material selected may be within the range noted in connection with the nonwoven cotton fabric, or a material which is thicker or thinner than the limits of this range may be employed. The quantity of liquid to be retained by the absorbent layers or strips will of course exert an influence on the thickness of the material employed as well as the number of layers which are to be assembled to provide the device of this invention.

Fig. 2 discloses a preferred modification of the applicator of Fig. 1 which employs a different construction for the assembly of absorbent layers. In Fig. 2, the applicator is generally designated as a whole by the reference numeral 20 and comprises a holder 21 substantially similar to the holder 11. Only two absorbent strips 22 and 24 are disclosed as engaged with the holder 21 whereby to provide an assembly of four absorbent layers. It is, however, Within the scope of the invention to use a greater number of absorbent strips in this embodiment. Strips 22 and 24 are formed of material similar to that already described and utilize the folding feature previously set forth to form an assembly of nested and folded applicator elements. In this instance, however, the inner element 22 is so constructed that it will be slightly shorter than the element 24 whereby the free ends of the element 24 extend beyond the free ends of the element 22. By this arrangement, the applicator element 22 functions as a feeder for the element 24, which functions as a squeegee or spreader.

A still further modification of the invention is disclosed in Fig. 3 which shows an applicator 30, similar to the applicator 10, with the exception of the holder constructions. The holder 31 for the device 30 is a channel member similar to the member 11 but differing therefrom in that the ends of the legs of the channel have outwardly flared portions 33 formed by bending the legs in a direction away from the interior of the channel. These outwardly flared portions 33 serve to prevent the fingers from touching the applicator elements or absorbent strips 32, 34 and 36 so as to avoid physical contact with the liquid compositon carried by the applicator. Additionally, the flared portions 33 may be utilized to contact the side walls of a container for the applicator and to hold the applicator within the container so that spreading surfaces of the applicator assembly are maintained out of contact with the container walls. While the holder 31 of Fig. 3 has been shown in conjunction with an assembly of absorbent layers similar to that disclosed in Fig. 1, it will be appreciated that this showing has been made for the purpose of illustration and that the holder 31 is intended for use with any of the various embodiments of the invention.

' Reference has heretofore been made to the fact that this invention comprehends the arrangement of a single piece or strip of absorbent material so as to provide a plurality of layers in face-to-face relation to each other. Such an embodiment of the invention is shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Fig. 4 shows an applicator device 40 which employs a holder 41, similar to the holder 11, for mounting a onepiece elongated strip 48 of absorbent material. The strip 48 of absorbent material is dimensioned so that it may be arranged to provide four absorbent-layers 11,13, 44 and 45 upon folding the strip upon: itself so that it assumes the general shape of a letter M" but with. the arms and legs thereof collapsed against each other. Strip 48 is mounted in the channel member 41 so that the folds in the strip are generally aralle'l'to the length the base of the channel member. 1 While layers of similar size have been shown in the layer assembly of the applicator 40 whereby all layers extend from the channel member 41 by approximately equal amounts, it is to be noted that the absorbent strip 48 may be so dimensioned that the layers 43 and 44 will extend from the holder by a lesser amount than the outer layers 42 and 45 whereby to provide a construction similar to that disclosed in Fig. 2.

A similar applicator device 50 is disclosed in Fig. 5 as making use of a holder 51 similar to the holder 11 for mounting a one-piece elongated strip of absorbent material 58. In this instance, the strip 58 is dimensioned to permit to be folded so as to provide six individual absorbent layers 52, 53, 54, 55, 56 and 57. As in the other embodiments of the invention, the layer assembly of Fig. 5 is positioned in the holder so that the folds thereof run generally parallel to the base of the channel member. The layer assembly shown with the applicator 50 differs from the layer assembly of the applicator 40 in that the portions of the layers which extend beyond the legs of the channel member 51 all include folded parts of the absorbent strip 58 whereas in the layer assembly of Fig. 4, the portions extending beyond the legs of the channel member include both a folded portion and the ends of the strip of absorbent material used to form the layer assembly. It will also be observed that the absorbent strip 58 may be dimensioned so that a layer arrangement is possible wherein the two central layers 54 and 55 will extend from the holder by a lesser distance than the outer layers of the assembly to provide a construction which simulates that of the applicator disclosed in Fig. 2.

In the constructions of the layer assembly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, it will be appreciated that the absorbent strip from which the assembled layers are formed may be selected so as to provide a greater or lesser number of layers than that disclosed in the drawings' The length of the applicator devices shown and de scribed herein will be proportioned to print size. Genenerally speaking, an applicator having a length which is slightly less than the width of the print is very practical and has the advantage of being usable on differently sized prints. Additionally, an applicator having a length about that of a cigarette may be noted as a general purpose size. Similarly, the number of absorbent layers assembled together and mounted within the holder will, in general, be dependent upon the number of prints to be coated, since the number of absorbent layers will control the amount of liquid composition which may be carried by the applicator, this comment being subject to the provision that the layer assembly always provides at least two flexible portions which extend beyond the legs of the holder.

While all embodiments have been illustrated in connection with an assembly of layers provided by one or more strips of absorbent material which have been folded, it should be kept in mind that the invention may be practiced with two or more unfolded absorbent strips which are each used to provide an individual layer of a layer assembly and which are arranged in facing relation to each other.

Since certain changes may be made in the above prod uct without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawin -shall be" interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

I. An applicator for applying a liquid coating composition to a photographic print and comprising a holder of organic plastic sheet material in the shape of an elongated open-ended channel member having a base 1 and legs extending therefrom which converge toward one another, said legs being capable of being compressed manually toward one another, and an absorbent element charged with a liquid coating composition, said absorbent element comprising a closely packed assembly of layers of nonwoven fabric held together in facing relation between said legs of said holder, said absorbent element being frictionally retained between said convergent legs of said channel member, each said layer having a length substantially equal to the length of said channel member and being positioned in said channel member with the length and width dimensions thereof in generally parallel relation to the length dimension of said base of said channel member and to the width dimension of the legs thereof, the width dimensions of said legs being greater than the combined thicknesses of said layers of fabric comprising said absorbent element, said absorbent element having a relatively short portion thereof which extends beyond the legs of said channel member by an amount less than its thickness and provides flexible means contactable with a surface to be coated for applying to said surface said liquid composition carried by said absorbent element, said layers being so arranged that there is at least one outer layer disposed adjacent each of said legs of said channel member and extending beyond said legs, said outer layers extending beyond the intermediate layers of said absorbent element by a distance less than the amount said intermediate layers extend beyond said legs to provide means for evenly distributing said liquid composition dispensed from said intermedate layers.

2. An applicator for applying a liquid coating composition to the surface of a photographic print and comprising a holder of organic plastic sheet material in the shape of an elongated open-ended channel member having a base and legs extending therefrom which converge toward one another, the width dimension of said legs being greater than the width dimension of said base, said legs being capable of being squeezed manually toward one another, and an absorbent element charged with a liquid coating composition, said absorbent element comprising at least two strips of nonwoven fabric substantially equal in length to the length of said channel member and being superposed with one another and folded longitudinally to provide a closely packed assembly of a plurality of layers of similar size arranged in face-to-face relation, said absorbent element being mounted within said holder and with the length and width dimensions of said layers in generally parallel relation to the length dimension of said base of said channel member and to the width dimension of the legs thereof, the width dimension of said legs being greater than the combined thicknesses of said layers of fabric comprising said absorbent element, said absorbent element having a relatively short portion thereof which extends beyond said legs of said channel member by an amount less than its thickness and provides flexible means contactable with a surface to be coated for applying to said surface said liquid composition carried by said absorbent element, said layers being so proportioned and arranged that the two outer layers disposed adjacent said legs of said channel member and extending beyond said legs project beyond the intermediate layers of said absorbent element by a distance less than the amount said inter-mediate layers extend beyond said legs to provide means for evenly distributing said liquid composition dispensed from said intermediate layers.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Worcester Aug. 30, 1904 Hollingsworth Apr. 22, 1913 Abbott July 22, 1930 Kingman May 30, 1939 Ellestad Dec. 15, 1942 8 Jones et a1 July 11, 1950 Eisenberg et a1 Aug. 15, 1950 Parmet Nov. 25, 1952 Van Boytham Dec. 16, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 12, 1904 Great Britain Jan. 29, 1923 

1. AN APPLICATOR FOR APPLYING A LIQUID COATING COMPOSITION TO A PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT AND COMPRISING A HOLDER OF ORGANIC PLASTIC SHEET MATERIAL IN THE SHAPE OF AN ELONGATES OPEN-ENDED CHANNEL MEMBER HAVING A BASE AND LEGS EXTENDING THEREFROM WHICH CONVERGE TOWARD ONE ANOTHER, SAID LEGS BEING CAPABLE OF BEING COMPRESSED MANUALLY TOWARD ONE ANOTHER, AND AN ABSORBENT ELEMENT CHARGED WITH A LIQUID COATING COMPOSITION, SAID ABSORBENT ELEMENT COMPRISING A CLOSELY PACKED ASSEMBLY OF LAYERS OF NONWOVEN FABRIC HELD TOGETHER IN FACING RELATION BETWEEN SAID LEGS OF SAID HOLDER, SAID ABSORBENT ELEMENT BEING FRICTIONALLY RETAINED BETWEEN SAID CONVERGENT LEGS OF SAID CHANNEL MEMBER, EACH SAID LAYER HAVING A LENGTH SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE LENGTH OF SAID CHANNEL MEMBER AND BEING POSITIONED IN SAID CHANNEL MEMBER WITH THE LENGTH AND WIDTH DIMENSIONS THEREOF IN GENERALLY PARALLEL RELATION TO THE LENGTH DIMENSION OF SAID BASE OF SAID CHANNEL MEMBER AND TO THE WIDTH DIMENSION OF THE LEGS THEREOF, THE WIDTH DIMENSIONS OF SAID LEGS BEING GREATER THAN THE COMBINED THICKNESSES OF SAID LAYERS OF FABRIC COMPRISING SAID ABSORBENT ELEMENT, SAID ABSORBENT ELEMENT HAVING A RELATIVELY SHORT PORTION THEREOF WHICH EXTENDS BEYOND THE LEGS OF SAID CHANNEL MEMBER BY AN AMOUNT LESS THAN ITS THICKNESS AND PROVIDES FLEXIBLE MEANS CONTACTABLE WITH A SURFACE TO BE COATED FOR APPLYING TO SAID SURFACE SAID LIQUID COMPOSITION CARRIED BY SAID ABSORBENT ELEMENT, SAID LAYERS BEING SO ARRANGD THAT THERE IS AT LEST ONE OUTER LAYER DISPOSED ADJACENT EACH OF SAID LEGS OF SAID CHANNEL MEMBER AND EXTENDING BEYOND SAID LEGS, SAID OUTER LAYERS EXTENDING BEYOND THE INTREMEDIATE LAYERS OF SAID OUTER LAYERS EXTENDING BEYOND THE INTERMEDIATE LAYERS OF SAID ABSORBENT ELEMENT BY A DISTANCE LESS THAN LEGS TO PROVIDE MEANS FOR EVENLY DISTRIBUTING SAID LIQUID COMPOSITION DISPENSED FROM SAID INTERMEDIATE LAYERS. 